Novus Aeterno PC

Novus Aeterno for PC is a science-fiction RTS game, which transfers the combat-related and economic mechanics of real-time strategies to a huge, virtual world, where thousands of players are having their gaming experience. The game is the debut of the independent Taitale Studios.

Plot

A long time before the action of the game, five great empires ruled the galaxy. Their powers were balanced and none of them could get an advantage over the others. Periods of war were mingled with periods of peace, but very positive results for all the sides followed them. During the military conflicts, technology was developing rapidly, and when the wars ended, the economy was beginning to thrive. Ultimately however, this golden age ended and most of the remnants of the old empires were wiped out as a result of a catastrophe that nobody remembers now. Only the gargantuan motherships have endured; inside, the survivors have remained hibernated. Each of the players assumes the role of a Consul - a genetically modified leader of one such ship who has to rebuild the power of their nation once awaken from hibernation and ensure the nation's well-being. Whatever had caused the catastrophe however, is still lurking in the darkness of space.

Mechanics

The creators' goal was to develop a game that would be a true MMORTS. This was achieved through applying several techniques. Above all, the experience is not broken into sessions, instances, or closed maps. Instead, all the gameplay takes place in one huge galaxy. The game does not feature any system of matches or matchmaking. The rivalry between the players and hostile factions takes place wherever and whenever the players wish. As a result, the game delivers an opportunity to participate in a virtual war, the course of which is shaped by the players themselves. This also results in that the player cannot count on balanced encounters, as the enemy's ally can join the fight at any time. The player does not have much chances against the opposition on their own – surviving in this unvierse requires the player to join Alliances gathering large groups of others. This gameplay formula makes epic space battles a common occurrence here – those involve thousands of units controlled by dozens of players.

Although in general, the combat-related mechanics resemble other RTS games, Novus Aeterno offers more complexity in this aspect, compared to the standards of the genre. The player's ships do not have unlimited ammunition, thus it is necessary to rearm them regularly. What enriches the game's tactical dimension is the system of armor. The hull of a ship is not equally durable in all secitons, thus maneuvering the armies adequately can make the player victorious even over an enemy whose forces are substantially larger in numbers. Moreover, the player-controlled ships are not simply selfless machines - they have their crews divided into groups mainly in charge of the weaponry system, navigation, the engines, or communication. Alongside progression, the subordinates gain experience points, which are then distributed by the player in order to develop their skills. As a result, losing a ship filled with veterans is especially painful, as they cannot be replaced quickly by another ship with novices onboard.

The experience delivered by Novus Aeterno for PC is not based solely on space battles. The player is also required to take care of strategic aspects, such as managing the entire nation, gathering intelligence, conducting diplomacy, as well as dealing with economy-related issues and developing technology. In order for the player's empire to grow, they have to colonize new planets and invest in building the infrastructures. War cannot be won here if the player's treasury is empty. Over time, the number of things one needs to take care of in the game will start to overwhelm even the most skilled players. Then however, the player can entrust their allies with some of the tasks.

Last updated on 18 May 2012